BASIC Statement on Climate Change

China, Brazil, India and South Africa urge rich nations to honour their commitments made in Paris in 2015 to provide finance, capacity building and transfer of technology to developing countries to fight against climate change

Leaders gathered in Paris in December 2015. The historical Paris agreement, adopted by Parties at the Twenty-first meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, reaffirmed the commitment of industrialized nations to fulfil their obligations on finance, capacity building and technology transfer to help developing countries fight climate change challenges.

On 10-11 April 2017, the 24th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Beijing, China. The meeting was attended by H.E. Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs of China, H.E. Ms. Barbara Thompson, Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs of South Africa, H.E. Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General for the Environment, Energy, Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, and Mr. Ravi S. Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India.

In line with the 'BASIC-plus' approach, H.E. Mr. Parveen Kumar Bala, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment of Fiji, on behalf of the incoming Presidency of COP 23, H.E. Dr. Khaled Fahmy, Minister of Environment of Egypt, and H.E. Mr. Jose M. Borja, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ecuador to China, on behalf of the Chair of the Group of 77 also attended the meeting as observers.

The two-day meeting ended with the adoption of a joint declaration urging industrialized countries to honour their commitments and increase climate finance towards the USD 100 billion per annum goal, to be scaled-up significantly after 2025.

Brazil will host the 25th BASIC Ministerial meeting in the second half of this year.

Below is the Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of the 24th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change, in Beijing, on 11 April 2017.

Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of the 24th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change held in Beijing, The Peoples’ Republic of China, 11 April 2017

1. The 24th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Beijing, China on 10 and 11 April 2017. The meeting was attended by H.E. Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs of China, H.E. Ms. Barbara Thompson, Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs of South Africa, H.E. Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General for the Environment, Energy, Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, and Mr. Ravi S. Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India. In line with the 'BASIC-plus' approach, H.E. Mr. Parveen Kumar Bala, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment of Fiji, on behalf of the incoming Presidency of COP 23, H.E. Dr. Khaled Fahmy, Minister of Environment of Egypt, and H.E. Mr. Jose M. Borja, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ecuador to China, on behalf of the Chair of the Group of 77 also attended the meeting as observers.

2. BASIC Ministers welcomed the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to enhance its implementation, which reflects equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances. Ministers affirmed that the Paris Agreement is a hard-won achievement by the international community which strengthens the global response to climate change in the context of sustainable development.

3. Ministers reiterated that the global effort against climate change is an irreversible process that cannot be postponed. It offers valuable opportunities to promote sustainable development. In this regard, Ministers underlined BASIC's highest political commitment to the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention, its Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement in all their aspects.

4. Ministers discussed the international situation and developments, and reiterated their governments' unwavering commitment to the global effort against climate change. They urged all signatories to stay the course and maintain their support to the Paris Agreement for the good of all humankind and our future generations. Ministers highlighted BASIC's willingness to work together with all Parties and stakeholders to promote global low greenhouse gas emissions, climate-resilient and sustainable development.

5. Ministers welcomed the successful outcomes achieved at COP 22 in November 2016, which demonstrated the irreversible momentum behind the multilateral process and adopted the roadmap for the work required to operationalise the Paris Agreement from 2020. They expressed their appreciation to the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco for hosting the Conference.

6. Ministers pledged BASIC's full support to the incoming Fijian Presidency of COP 23 to be held in Bonn in November 2017. They underlined the importance of COP 23 to prepare the ground towards the completion of the work related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Ministers further underlined that COP 23 should accelerate the implementation of pre-2020 commitments and actions. Ministers reiterated that the work on both the pre-2020 and post-2020 should be in full accordance with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. They also emphasised the importance of openness, transparency, inclusiveness and the Party-driven nature of the negotiations.

7. Ministers expressed BASIC's willingness to continue working constructively with other Parties to adopt balanced and meaningful outcomes, in 2018, related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement from 2020. With the aim of accomplishing this task, they underscored the need for entering into the textual negotiation on the modalities, procedures and guidelines for the Paris Agreement as early as possible, in order to produce a comprehensive negotiating text at COP 23, reflecting all Parties' views and inputs in a balanced manner.

8. Ministers affirmed that the outcomes of the work related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement shall reflect differentiation, nationally determined nature of Parties' contributions, and flexibility to developing countries. Furthermore, Ministers were of the view that, when implementing the Paris Agreement, Parties are encouraged to exchange their best practices and cooperate to enhance actions progressively.

9. Ministers recalled the legal obligations of developed countries under the Convention and its Paris Agreement to provide financial resources, technology development and transfer and capacity-building support to all developing countries, for their effective implementation and ambitious actions. Ministers emphasised the need for further clarity and robust methodologies to track and account for the provision of finance by developed countries.

10. Ministers therefore urged developed countries to honour their commitments and increase climate finance towards the USD 100 billion per annum goal, to be scaled-up significantly after 2025. In the post-2020 period, Ministers called upon developed countries to provide financial resources to assist developing countries with respect to both mitigation and adaptation in continuation of their existing obligations under the Convention. Furthermore, Ministers called for collaboration among the various mechanisms on adaptation, finance, technology and capacity-building.

11. Ministers emphasised that adaptation is an issue that requires an urgent global response, and reiterated the importance of both the global adaptation goal and of the adaptation communication as a component of Parties' NDCs in achieving the purpose of the Paris Agreement. Ministers urged developed countries to provide adequate support to developing countries in meeting the cost of their adaptation actions.

12. Ministers stressed the urgency of developed country Parties to revisit and increase their economy-wide quantified emission reduction targets and to implement and enhance the provision of finance, technology and capacity-building support to developing countries, which is a prerequisite for mutual trust among Parties and for building a solid foundation for post-2020 implementation and ambition. In this regard, Ministers underscored the importance of ratifying the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol.

13. Ministers highlighted the substantial achievements that the BASIC countries continue to demonstrate in combating climate change, both on the implementation of pre-2020 mitigation and adaptation actions and their ambitious NDCs. BASIC countries have made notable progress towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. They are committed to sharing experiences and supporting each other as they further develop their domestic climate policies and actions.

14. Ministers reiterated that the UNFCCC is the primary international forum to coordinate the global response to climate change. In this regard, they expressed their willingness to strengthen the voice of BASIC in other multilateral fora addressing issues related to climate change, such as the United Nations General Assembly, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the International Maritime Organisation and the Montreal Protocol, as well as the G20. They reiterated that measures and outcomes under these fora should be consistent with the UNFCCC and in line with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

15. BASIC Ministers expressed their unequivocal commitment to support Ecuador, as the Chair of the Group of 77 this year, with a view to strengthening the unity and advancing the common interests of developing countries in the multilateral process.

16. Ministers welcomed the offer of Brazil to host the 25th BASIC Ministerial meeting in the second half of this year.